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ST. LOUIS NEWS TODAY - Thursday, May 4, 2006

Gas Prices Aren't the Only Thing Annoying Drivers
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), May 4, 2006 - With more than 30 million Americans expected to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend the Hagerty Collector Network surveyed thousands of members nationwide to uncover America's "Top 10 Driving Pet Peeves."

The results from Hagerty's survey revealed some surprising, yet common "sins" of the road every American should know as the summer travel season officially begins!

"After visiting numerous car shows, auctions and automotive events, and talking with our customers, the Hagerty staff heard many of the same complaints about drivers' behaviors," said CEO McKeel Hagerty. "Yet these drivers also admitted they, too, were guilty of committing some of these 'sins of the road.' That's why we decided to launch this survey -- for a fun way to bring these pet peeves to the public's attention. We found some funny results, but many responses were things we're all guilty of doing at one time or another!"

What are the "Top 10 Driving Pet Peeves"?

1. Distracted drivers talking on cell phones (Motor Mouths)
2. Slow drivers in the fast lane (Turtle Racers)
3. Pushy drivers who tailgate (Piggybackers)
4. Drivers who weave through traffic to gain one or two car lengths (Wacky Weavers)
5. Obnoxious drivers who speed up to keep you from changing lanes (Gap Snatchers)
6. Hasty drivers who change lanes without signaling (Space Invaders)
7. Road Rage (Road Ragers)
8. Motorcyclists who race down the middle of a lane, between cars (Speed Racers)
9. Women applying makeup and men shaving (Driving Divas)
10. Drivers who leave their turn signal on for miles (Morse Coders)

Fluency in English and Job Skills Considered Important for Immigration to US
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), April 30, 2006 - While the U.S. public debates immigration policies and how to treat illegal aliens, a new Harris Poll examines other aspects of public attitudes toward immigrants and immigration.

This survey finds that large numbers of adults say favorable treatment should be given to some categories of immigrants to make their immigration into the United States easier. It also finds that a three-to-one majority opposes giving preferential treatment to people based on their country of origin. These are some of the results of a Harris Poll of 2,377 U.S. adults surveyed online by Harris Interactive(R) between April 11 and 17, 2006.

A majority of all adults favor immigration policy that gives favorable treatment to relatives of U.S. citizens, such as children (73%) and spouses (67%). Half of adults (50%) also say that asylum seekers who might be punished, imprisoned or tortured if they were sent home should receive favorable treatment so it is easier for them to immigrate into the United States. Fewer adults think favorable treatment should be given to agricultural workers (22%) and those willing to do unpleasant, low paid jobs Americans don't want to do (20%); two types of work many illegal aliens do.

Fluency in English (56%) and job skills (51%) also top the list of factors that should be considered when determining an immigrant's entrance into the United States.

Some of the other key findings are:

Only a third (33%) of all adults think that immigrants from some countries make a bigger contribution than immigrants from other countries.
Only one in five (21%) thinks that immigration policy should give preference to those from some countries over those from others.
While a clear majority (62%) is opposed to any policy that gives preference based on country of origin, immigrants from some countries are seen by minorities of U.S. adults to be more likely to make a better contribution than others.
Immigrants from countries that are perceived to "make a better contribution than the others" are immigrants from Japan (26%), Britain (25%), Canada (24%), Germany (21%) and Australia (21%).
Those who think immigrants from Haiti, Turkey, Pakistan, Nigeria, Jamaica and Egypt, for instance, do not make a better contribution outnumber those who say they make a better contribution to the United States than others.

Perhaps the most interesting and important of all of these findings is that the overwhelming majority of U.S. adults reject the suggestion that immigrants from some countries, such as Haiti or Mexico, make less of a contribution to the country than immigrants coming from white, English- speaking countries. However, they do think that fluency in English is important.

Get Healthy for Life Healthy Americans Week
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), April 30, 2006 - Matt Blunt is encouraging Missourians to step up efforts to improve their health. The governor is urging residents to develop healthy lifestyle habits as part of Healthy America Week, a new nationwide program promoting healthier living.

"Healthy choices mean a longer life and a better quality of life for people in Missouri and throughout the nation," Blunt said. "By improving our own health, we can do our part in helping create a healthier Missouri and a healthier America."

Governors across the country are promoting Healthy America Week May 1-5. The theme for the event is Healthy America: Wellness Where We Live, Work and Learn.

Last summer, Blunt launched the Healthy Missourians Initiative - a plan calling for better nutrition and physical activity in the state. The plan outlines a number of actions to address Missouri's obesity problem and encourage a healthier lifestyle for people of all ages.

More than 23 percent of Missouri adults are obese, which increases the risk for many serious and sometimes disabling chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and some types of cancer. In addition, more than half of all adults in Missouri are overweight, which can eventually lead to obesity and other health problems.

Missouri's children are also being affected by obesity. In the past five years, the prevalence of obese middle school students increased by 75 percent and the prevalence among high school students increased by 64 percent. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, adolescents who are obese are much more likely to become overweight or obese adults.

Obesity has also become a costly problem for Missouri. Direct medical costs attributed to obesity in Missouri totaled $1.6 billion in 1998, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

"Springtime is a great time to adopt healthier habits. The longer days and better weather make it easier to increase physical activity, and a wider variety of fresh fruits and vegetables can help make meals more nutritious," Blunt said. "The challenge is maintaining these new habits for a lifetime, but the effort is worth it."

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